Spindle shifter



m K m w I N w EB B m m P 5 Jan. 6, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1968 Jan. 6, 1970 J. BIENIOK SPINDLE SHlFTER Filed July 31, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z Z Z Z Z Z Z I I T1 2. 1 211M) a INVENTOR. 98 JmcH/n EN/CK 22 BY WW Ma Jan. 6, 1970 .1. BIENIOK 3,48,?

SPINDLE SHIFTER Filed July 31, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I l/N'VENTOR 8 $8 QiMcH/M B/e/WOK (Q 8 BY v a; wg/Qu M hf zrct mwm J. BIENIOK SPINDLE SHIFTER Jan. 6, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 31, 1968 l/vvgmok/ JoAcH/M 5NIOK United States Patent 3,488,676 SPINDLE SHIFTER Joachim Bieniok, Wattwil, Switzerland, assignor to Haberlein Patent Corporation, New York, N.Y., a Corporation of New York Filed July 31, 1968, Ser. No. 749,036 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 13, 1967, 12,770/ 68 Int. Cl. D01h 7/92, 7/46 U.S. Cl. 5777.45 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reversing apparatus for false twist devices whereby the driving shaft of the false twist device is caused to move with respect to its driving belt, to engage either surface of the belt and thereby effect reversal of the false twist spindle.

This invention relates generally to shifting devices and more particularly to shifting devices for selectively controlling the direction of rotation of false twist spindles.

False twist devices of the type herein described are generally known in the art and are more particularly described in U.S. Patent 3,267,657 issued Aug. 23, 1966.

In general, these devices are utilized to impart a twist in a continuous running length of yarn. The yarn itself is travelled through a rapidly spinning twisting tube which may rotate at speeds up to 250,000 revolutions per minute. In passing therethrough, the yarn is given a generally S- twist configuration which it retains for subsequent operations and end uses.

It is desirable in the present false twist devices to occasionally change the direction of rotation of the twisting tube in order to impart to the yarn, a reverse S or Z configuration. A further problem occurs, however, when a reversible construction is attempted as, due to the extremely high speeds achieved, only a minimum of gears or other conventional reversing means may be employed otherwise overall efficiency is impaired and the high speeds unobtainable.

In addition, only a minimum of down time of the equipment to effect reversing may be tolerated as the economics of the false-twisting process depend greatly on high speed continuous production of finished yarn; and any delays or other stoppages of equipment greatly harms the overall economic production.

A further difficulty arises in the fact that for economy and efficiency, false twist devices are used in multiple groupings of two or more operated by a common driving means. It often becomes necessary to reverse less than all of the driven devices on a certain selected basis.

Various means have been proposed in the past to effect reversal of false twist devices, and such prior art means have included the use of a reversible driving means. This however, is manifestly unsuitable where a number of false twist devices employ the same driving means for their rotational power. The reason for this is that a mere reversal of the driving means can only cause reversal of all false twist devices connected therewith. Therefore it is not possible to effect reversal on a selective basis whereby only certain false twist devices are reversed.

Other proposed means have included the use of moveable bearing plates supporting pairs of false twist devices which may be selectively connected to the driving means to achieve opposite rotation.

In these prior art arrangements however, there is no means by which an individual false twist device may be efiiciently and economically reversed in rotation independently of any other false twist device so as to obtain maximum capacity and versatility of the overall apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reversing device which overcomes the disadvantages of the presently known devices.

It is a further object to provide an apparatus wherein means are provided to selectively change the direction of rotation of such false twist devices without detracting greatly from the overall efficiency and economy of the false-twisting operation.

It is a still further object to provide an apparatus wherein means are provided for selectively changing the positions of driving rollers of the false twist devices to the front and rear faces of a driving belt.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a means for changing the position of false twist devices with respect to a driving belt which includes a shifting shaft having a control lever to engage and disengage driving shafts of false twist devices from a driving belt, means mounting the false twist devices for movement transverse to the driving belt, whereby the belt may be engaged by the driving shaft at either the front or rear surface of the driving belt, thereby changing the rotational direction of the driving shaft.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those silled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a false twisting apparatus in which the present invention is embodied;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially cut away and partially in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a first driving condition;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and showing the apparatus in partially shifted condition;

FIG. 6 is a plan view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the apparatus in a second driving condition;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. l-4, a holder 10 is shown having provision for attachment to a false twist frame. The holder 10 is normally operable in a vertical hanging position affixed to a false twist frame, not shown, by means such as by bolting through suitably provided holes 12, of FIG, 1.

False twisting devices 14 are movealbly mounted to holder 10 as will be hereinafter explained.

False twist devices 14, as shown, are generally known in the art; and the type illustratively shown herein is more fully described as to its structure and operation in the aforementioned U.S. Patent 3,267,657, however, a brief description of one of such devices will be herein given.

Referring particularly to FIG. 7, there is shown a false twist device 14 having a carrier plate 16 having provision to rotatably support a driving shaft 20 and an idler shaft 18. The driving shaft 20 has a driving pulley 22 and the idler shaft 18 has a support roller 24 which may be protected from intrusion by dust or dirt by a covering cap 26. A driving roller 28 is affixed on driving shaft and is closely associated with an idler roller 30 aflixed on the idler shaft 18. The rollers 28 and 30 are spaced apart such that a crotch 32, in FIG. 3, is formed therebetween. A twisting tube 34 is positioned within the crotch 32 and is held in frictional engagement with the peripheral edges of rollers 28 and 30 by magnetic means such as a permanent magnet positioned generally at 36.

In actual practice, a yarn is introduced through the hollow twisting tube 34 guided by threadguides 38 and 40 in FIGS. 4 and 7 and the yarn, in FIG. 4, is caused to spin by the hollow twisting tube 34 which in turn is driven by roller 28.

A driving means is utilized to provide rotational movement to the driving roller 28 through engagement with driving pulley 22. As shown, in FIG. 7, the driving means comprises a flat belt 42 held in frictional engagement with the driving pulley 22.

A support means is provided to moveably support carrier plate 16 holding the false twist devices 14 to the holder 10.

This support means comprises hollow shafts 44 and 44, of FIGS. 3 and 6, which are affixed to the carrier plate 16. The hollow shafts 44 and 44 are in turn supported by the holder 10 through the use of front bearings 46 and 46', in FIG. 1, which are press fitted into suitable Openings in the holder 10 and also by rear bearings 48 and 48 which are fitted into openings in a rectangular shaped downward projection 50 of the holder 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. These bearings 46, 46 and 48, 48 permit both rotational and lateral movement of the shafts 44 and 44' supported by holder 10.

A bias means is included to resiliently bias the shafts 44 and 44 against lateral movement with respect to the holder 10.

This resilient bias means is best known, in FIG. 7 and is provided by the use of shifters 52 which are maintained under tension within each of the hollow shafts 44 and 44 by pressure springs 54. The shifters 52 slide along grooved portions of the hollow shafts 44, 44 in an axial direction and are fixed relative to the holder 10 by means of shifter pins 56 which effect engagement between the holder 10 and the shifters 52 by the use of resting forks 53. When the shifter pins 56 engage the shifters 52, FIGS. 3 and 6, the hollow shafts 44, 44' are biased against axial movement in either direction with respect to the holder 10. Such movement is resisted by the action of one of the springs 54 depending on the direction of axial shift.

A means is provided to engage and disengage the driving pulley 22 with and from the belt 42. As shown, in FIGS. 2 and 7, this means includes a shifting shaft 76, journaled in holder 10 and having an operating handle 78, FIG. 1, at one end. The opposite end of said shifting shaft 76 is journaled in the downwardly extending rectangular section 50 of the holder 10. Lateral movement of the shifting shaft 76 is prevented by means of an adjusting ring 80 firmly affixed to the end of the shifting shaft 76. In addition, a similar ring portion 82 is provided and is also firmly afiixed to the shifting shaft 76. The portion 82 has a disc 84 connected therewith as will be hereinafter described. By suitably positioning the adjusting ring 80 and ring portion 82, each abutting opposite sides of the downwardly extending rectangular section 50, lateral movement of the shifting shaft 76 with respect to the holder 10 is prevented. Rotational movement of shaft 76 with respect to holder 10 is limited to a predetermined degree of rotation by means of a pin 83, shown in FIG. 2, which enters a groove portion 85 of adjusting ring 80.

The disc 84, shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, is solidly affixed to the shifting shaft 76. The lateral surfaces of the curved disc 84 are curved congruently having opposite depressions 86 and rises 88 with similar respective slopes. A rotational movement of the curved disc 84 thereby presents a depression 86 or rise 88 to thorns 90, 90, FIG. 8, which are solidly affixed to the hollow shafts 44, 44' by means of adjusting rings 92, 92'. These thorns 90, 90' are positioned such that a rotational movement of the disc 84 causes a rise portion 88 of the disc 84 to engage the thorns 90, 90 and move their respective hollow shafts 44, 44 axially with respect to the holder 10. As previously explained, axial movement of shafts 44, 44' cause movement of the respective false twist devices 14. The direction of the axial movement will depend on the position of thorns 90, 90 with respect to the curved disc 84, i.e. whether they are acted upon by the front surface 94 or the rear surface 96 of disc 84.

Disengagement of the false twist devices from the driving means may thus be effected as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7.

In FIG. 2, as will later be explained, the driving means comprising the flat belt 42 is in frictional engagement with the frontwardly facing surface 98 of driving pulley 22. At such time, the thorns 90, 90, FIG. 8, are positioned such that they engage the rear surface 96 of the curved disc 84. A rotation of the disc 84 by turning the operating handle 78 thereby causes disc 84 to engage the thorns 90, 90. Further rotation of disc 84 causes a rise 88 to move the thorns 90, 90' in the direction of the arrow A. As shown, this movement of thorns 90, 90 and the shafts 44, 44 thereby disengages the driving pulley 22 from the fiat belt 42 and thus disconnects the driving means. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 7, the belt 42 may, at times, be frictionally engaged with the rearwardly facing surface 100 of driving pulley 22, at which time, the thorns 90, 90' are positioned adjacent the front surface 94 of the curved disc 84.

Again, a rotational movement imparted to the operating handle 78, FIG. 1, causes movement of the thorns 90, 90', FIG. 8, in the direction of the arrow B of FIG. 7 and thus disengages the driving means.

An alignment means is provided in order to maintain alignment of the driving pulley 22 with respect to the belt 42. This alignment means is provided by the use of barring mechanism 58, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, supported by the holder 10. A rod 62 is vertically moveably positioned within the barring mechanism 58 and is upwardly spring biased by spring 64, of FIG. 2. A head piece 66 on the rod 62 has a flat, generally vertical surface 60, shown in FIG. 4, which is maintained facing a predetermined direction by means of a pin 68 moving in groove 70 cut into the barring mechanism 58 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The flat surface 60, FIG. 4, causes alignment of the driving pulley 22 and belt 42 by creating a stop against guiding shaft 70. In FIG. 2, guiding shaft 70 is aflixed to carrier plate 16, depending therefrom, and has a flat portion 72 thereon which abuts the flat surface 60, in FIG. 4, of guiding shaft 70 when the driving pulley 22 is in the proper alignment with belt 42. An alignment surface 71, of FIG. 4, is provided on holder 10 to engage guiding shaft 70 generally opposite flat portion 72. Release of the false twist device from the alignment means is accomplished by a downward force on the head piece 66 which moves vertically downward against the spring bias until clearance is obtained between the head piece 66 and the guiding shaft 70. When this point is reached, shown in FIG. 4 as position 74, the false twist device is free to move with respect to the carrier 10.

The false twist devices are constructed and arranged such that their position may be changed with respect to the driving means to effect reversal. This is accomplished by releasing the alignment means and thereafter disengaging the driving means as heretofore explained. As shown in FIG. 5, the false twist devices 14 may then be pivoted about their respective hollow shafts 44, 44 to a position such that the driving pulley 22 is moved transverse to belt 42 and relocated at the opposite side of belt 42. The pivotal movement also serves to disengage one or both of the thorns 90, 90 from their operative position with respect to the curved disc 84 as shown in FIG. 8. In this pivoted position, in FIG. 5, the false twist devices, hollow shafts 44, 44 and thorns 90, 90 may be all unitarily moved laterally with respect to the holder 10, the flat belt 42 and the curved disc 84. Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 7, the thorn 90 may thereby be relocated engaging either the forward surface 94 or rearward surafce '96 of curved disc 84 and simultaneously, the driving pulley 22 may be located with its frontwardly facing surface 98 or its rearwardly facing surface 100 adjacent the belt 42.

Although the thorns 90, 90' engage the forward surface 94 or rearward surface 96 of curved disc 84, the driving pulley 22 is not in engagement with the belt 42 as the position of thorns 90, 90- caused by engagement of a rise 86 on disc 84- preventing engagement of driving pulley 22 with belt 42. The driving pulley 22 is then caused to engage the belt 42 by turning the operating handle 78, FIG. 1, and thus moving the false twist device into frictional engagement with flat belt 42. The frictional engagement is assisted by the resilient bias means provided for the hollow shafts 44, 44'.

Reversal of the direction of rotation of the twisting tube 34 is thus achieved by providing a false twisting device having its driving pulley 22 adapted to be moved laterally with respect to the flat belt 42 to disengage it from the belt and then to pivot out over the belt, to move laterally to the opposite side of the belt, to pivot back, and to be re-engaged on the opposite side of the belt.

What is claimed is:

1. A spindle shifter comprising a holder, a spindle,

'rneans mounting said spindle rotatably on said holder,

said mounting means including means allowing spindle movement along a path transverse to its rotational axis, and means to engage said spindle with a driving belt, whereby said spindle may be engaged with either surface of the driving belt and will thereby be driven in different directions.

2. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a frame member moveably attached to a fixed holder, a spindle rotatably mounted to said frame member, a driving shaft engaging said spindle and adapted to engage a driving means, means to engage and disengage said driving means and means for relocating said driving shaft with respect to said driving means whereby the direction of rotation of said spindle is reversed.

3. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a frame member moveably attached to a fixed holder, a spindle rotatably mounted to said frame member, a driving shaft engaging said spindle and adapted to engage a driving belt, means to engage and disengage said driving shaft and said driving belt and means for relocating said driving shaft to opposite sides of said driving belt whereby the direction of rotation of said spindle is reversed.

4. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a pair of frame members moveably attached to a fixed holder, said frame members each having a spindle rotatably mounted thereto, said spindles each engaging a driving shaft, said driving shafts adapted to engage a common driving belt, means to engage and disengage said driving shafts and said driving belts, and means for selectively relocating said driving shafts .to either side of said driving belt whereby the direction of rotation of said spindles may be individually and selectively changed.

5. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a frame member moveably attached to a fixed holder, a spindle rotatably mounted to said frame member, said spindle having a driving shaft, resilient means adapted to bias said driving shaft toward a position interrriediate of first and second positions, and means mounting said driving shaft to permit engagement with a fiat belt in either of said first and second positions, wherein said driving shaft engages opposite sides of said belt in said first and second positions to change the direction of rotation of said spindle.

6. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a fixed holder, a support shaft, a false twist device afiixed to said shaft, said false twist device having a rotatable spindle engaged by a driving shaft, means mounting said support shaft to said fixed holder to permit rotational and axial movement of said support shaft with respect to said holder, spring means adapted to bias said support shaft intermediate of first and second positions, means for engaging and disengaging said driving shaft with a belt, whereby said driving shaft is caused to engage opposite sides of said belt when said support shaft is respectively at the first and second positions.

7. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a fixed holder, a support shaft, a false twist device aflixed to said shaft, said false twist device having a rotatable spindle engaged by a driving shaft, means mounting said support shaft to said fixed holder to permit rotational and axial movement of said support shaft with respect to said holder, a pair of oppositely acting springs axially aligned with said support shaft and adapted to bias said support shaft intermediate of first and second positions, means for engaging and disengaging said driving shaft with a fiat belt, whereby said driving shaft is caused to engage opposite sides of said fiat belt when said support shaft is respectively at the first and second positions.

8. A reversible apparatus for false twist devices comprising a frame member moveably attached to a fixed holder, a spindle rotatably mounted to said frame member, a driving shaft engaging said spindle, and cam means for engaging and disengaging said driving shaft and a flat belt, said cam means including a disc member, a shaft extending from said disc member and having a handle, and means mounting said disc member to engage and disengage said frame member upon rotational movement of said disc member, whereby said driving; shaft is caused to engage and disengage said fiat belt.

9. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices comprising a frame member moveably attached to a fixed holder, a spindle rotatably mounted to said frame member, a driving shaft engaging said spindle, and cam means for engaging and disengaging said driving shaft from a fiat belt including a cam member, a cam follower affixed to said frame member, and means to engage and disengage said cam member and said cam follower whereby said driving shaft is caused to move laterally into and out of engagement with the flat belt.

10. A reversing apparatus for false twist devices as described in claim 10 wherein said cam member is a disc having congruent arcuate opposite surfaces.

11. An apparatus for selectively changing the position of the driving rollers of false twist devices to engage the forward or reverse side of a driving belt in order to effect reversal of rotation of false twist tubes comprising, means mounting said false twist devices to allow horizontal and vertical movement with respect to the driving belt, said mounting means including a central shaft having a handle, a disc afiixed to said shaft and adapted to engage and move the driving rollers horizontally into and out of engagement with the driving belt, whereby said driving rollers may be moved into and out of engagement with either side of the driving belt.

12. An apparatus for selectively changing the position of driving rollers of false twist devices as described in claim 11 wherein said disc aflixed to said control shaft has congruent guide grooves on opposite surfaces.

13. A method of reversing the direction of rotation of a false twist spindle having a driving shaft driven by a flat belt, comprising the steps of: disengaging the driving shaft from a first side of a fiat driving belt, moving the driving shaft transverse to the belt, and reengaging the driving shaft to the belt at side opposite the first side, thereby 8 8/1967 Keyser 57-404 5/ 1968 Schwabe 5777.45

FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1961 Austria.

DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 

